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T. Junas (CCLA 750)-
Steve Brill (CCLA 750) American Postal Chess NY-MA Invitational Team Match 1973 Play through this game using almost any chess software using this pgn file. |
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Sicilian Defense Here's one of my best postal chess games, against a player of equal strength (note: the postal chess rating system of the day didn't correspond to the standard over-the-board rating system)— a very satisfying quick victory, especially important because my theoretical innovation seemed to refute a then-popular gambit that had always seemed unsound to me. Games won by spectacular attacks always get the most attention, while the art of defense is often overlooked. This game is distinguished by the attacks and sacrifices my opponent never got a chance to make! I submitted the annotated game to The Chess Correspondent Magazine for their Game of the Year. They did publish it, but issued no award. |
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1. e4, c5; 2. d4, cd4; 3. c3, dxc3; White offers a pawn to speed up development and open lines. Does he get sufficient compensation? I didn't think so in 1973, and accepted the morsel, although my 2009 chess software judges the position as equal, so the gambit might be alright after all, even if not especially promising for White. 4. Nxc3, Nc6; 5. Nf3, d6; 6. Bc4, e6; 7. 0-0, Nf6; 8. Qe2, a6; 9. Rd1, Qa5!? (Until now, black played the main line as given in USCF senior master Ken Smith's book, Sicilian: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted. With the text move, considered inferior by Smith, Black prepares to play an opening innovation. After the standard 9...Qc7, 10. Bg5, White gets compensation for his pawn.) 10. Bg5, Nd7!? (My innovation.) |
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(Smith gives 10...Be7 with 11. Rac1, Ne5; 12. Nxe5, dxe5 (12...Qxe5; 13. f4, Qc5+; 14. Kh1 and White has a winning game), 13. Bd2 with more than enough for the pawn. However, 10...0-0; 11. Bb3, Rd8; 11. Na4, Bd7 gives Black an edge.) 11. Bb3 (After 11. Rac1, Nde5; 12. Nxe5, Nxe5; 13. Nd5? [13. Bb3=] exd5; 14. exd5? [After 14. Rd5, Black has the advantage.] 14... f6!? [14...Be7; 15. Be7, Ke7; 14. f4, Qc5+ Black wins.] 15. Bd2, Qd8; 16. f4, Bg4; 17. Qe4, Bxd1; 18. fxe5, fxe5; 19. Rxd1, Be7; 20.Rf1, Bf6; 21. Bd3 [Frankle-Brill, Atlantic Open, NY, 1973], Qd7; White does not have sufficient compensation for his sacrificed material. 11...Nde5; 12. Nxe5, Nxe5; 13. f4!? h6! 14. Bh4 (Black is attaining the strategic goals of his innovation. He has already traded off a pair of knights without, as in Smith's line, getting doubled pawns. He has prevented the board from opening up so that White hasn't been able to capitalize on his lead in development and develop an attack. Now, after driving away White's black-squared bishop, Black intends to complete his development and castle, remaining a pawn up. 14. fxe5? hxg5; gives black the open h-file, e.g., 15. exd6, Qc5+; 16. Qf2, Bd6; with a positional and material superiority for Black.) 14... Ng6?!=; (Here 14...g5! 15. fe5, gh4; 16. ed6, Bd6! 17. Qg4, Qe5; 19. Qh5, b5; Black has the edge.) 15. Bg3, Be7; 16. f5, Ne5; 17. Rac1? (17. fxe6, Bxe6; 18. Bxe6, fxe6; 19. Qh5+, g6; 20. Qh3, Kf7! gives Black an edge, with an extra pawn in the endgame, but 17. Be1! creates equal chances.) 17...0-0; 18. Qh5? (18. Bf4 is better.) 18... ef5!? (18...Bg5! 19. Rc2, ef5; 20. Be5, Qe5 gives Black a greater advantage.) 19. Nd5?! (White goes down fighting. If 19. exf5, Bg5 and 20...bxf5 wins. But 19. Bf4, ef4; 20. Nd5, Bd8; 21. Be5, de5; 22. Qe5, Bg4 is better, although Black still has the big advantage of the exta pawn.) 19...Bg5; 20. Rc7, f4! (Winning a piece, and the game, due to the threat of 21...Bg4, trapping the Queen.) 21. h3, fxg3; White resigns. |